Peter Obi Advocates for Petrol Subsidy Removal

Peter Obi, the presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), expressed his support for the removal of the petrol subsidy during a conference organized by the Nigerian Bar Association in Rivers State on Monday. He criticized the current administration for mismanaging the financial gains from the subsidy removal, stating, "Mismanagement of the proceeds shouldn't be the reason for not removing it." Obi emphasized that his leadership blueprint included a structured plan to remove the subsidy, with recovered funds directed towards investments benefiting ordinary Nigerians.

He pointed out that only five percent of the N16 trillion claimed to have been recovered could have built primary healthcare centers or addressed kidney disease burdens in Nigeria. Obi condemned the expectation for Nigerians to endure economic hardship while government officials misuse public funds.

His comments come amid a political dispute over the subsidy policy, with Finance Minister Taiwo Oyedele confirming that N15.8 trillion was generated from the subsidy removal between June 2023 and December 2025.